His Eyes
by reddochu
Summary: One of the things they'd promised was they would always be friends, that they would never forget each other. But people grow up and people forget. Slight Barry/Dawn


She's five and scared.

Her dark, navy blue hair is tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes, which are of the same color, sparkle despite the fear.

She clings to her mother's side, tiny fists full of soft yellow fabric. The town is big and scary, the houses unwelcoming and tall, and all she wants is to go back _home._

Another woman with auburn hair in curls stands before the mother and daughter. This woman has a child at her side as well. This child, however, was a boy.

The first thing she notices are his eyes.

They're golden brown, and she _loves_ that color- it's her favorite. His eyes are pretty too. They're wary and full of distrust, but they're so full of emotions, so _alive_, and she loves that.

But her mom pushes her forward, and she's standing so close to him. So she waves her hand slightly, nervously.

His eyes warm up almost instantly, and he grabs her hand, and the rest of the afternoon is spent talking about the town(which she finds to be Twinleaf), pokemon, and- of course- themselves.

By the end of the day, they know that her name is Dawn, his name is Barry, and they're the best of friends.

* * *

><p>She's six and crying in the corner.<p>

Lightning flashes, illuminating the dark night sky as thunder roared in the sky. The sounds of rain hitting her window and wind wailing outside it only scared her even more, and she drew her knees closer, sniffling quietly.

But then a hand finds itself on her shoulder, and she turns her head and looks into her best friend's eyes. The golden brown, slightly orange eyes that are usually filled with excitement and eagerness, though, are full of concern.

For _her. _

She tries to give a brave smile, to be confident like he always is, but only whimpers as another flash of lightning lights the sky.

She doesn't want to be scared, but she just _is. _She doesn't want to be so weak, but she just _is._

But there's no scolding words from him, not even teasing. He just pulls her into an embrace, and doesn't let go. Not even when she begins to cry again as the storm becomes louder. Not even after it's pretty much passed. He just holds her.

She finally mumbles out an apology, but he only tells her it's okay to fall asleep now, because he's there(and always will be), so she does. She falls asleep wrapped in warmth and the smell of Barry- grass and spring and _life._

That wasn't how either planned to spend their first sleep over, but it worked out just as well.

* * *

><p>She's seven and he's seven and a half (because he's always a step ahead of her in <em>everything<em>- he has to be!).

The TV screen flashed with colorful images, and both stared, entranced.

A few days prior, they had discovered pokemon, (They'd heard of them, of course, but never listened. Playing in stream beds and mud puddles was always more important) and it was then that they both decided what they wanted to be.

_He_ was going to be the champion, and no one was going to stop him(Of course she should be honored that he'd let her be his rival, he told her).

She had just laughed and said that of course he would(Only later would her goal become champion too), before blinking and taking note of his stare.

Those eyes were fixed on her, a frown accompanying it.

She had asked him why he was frowning, and he had held up his pinky finger.

She had to promise him, he'd said, that they would always be friends before they were rivals.

He then grinned as she interlocked pinkies with him and promised.

* * *

><p>She's eight and alone.<p>

He's off visiting family, and she's sitting in her room.

She's lonely, but she knows for sure he's having fun. So she only decides to make a present for his return, and hopes that he will love it(He's always loved her drawings).

She's not disappointed when he returns- he practically tackles her in glee, eyes focused on her, only her.

There is nothing she likes more than knowing he missed her, because she knows she sure missed him.

The rest of the day is spent sitting in a pecha tree, eating the berries and talking without a care in the world.

* * *

><p>She's nine(and a half) and slightly upset.<p>

He's already turned ten, and he can go and start his journey whenever he wants.

So, as he rambles on about how he just can't wait, and how he's definitely going to be the best, she feels happy for him, but she also feels sad. She doesn't want to be left behind or forgotten, she wants to know he'll still look at her with those pretty eyes she loves.

She doesn't want to be like a toy, thrown to the ground in favor of something new.

She wants to be by his side- it's what best friends do, right?

He's taken by surprise when she asks when he's starting his journey, but answers as if it's obvious.

When she's ten, too, he says, they're going to set out on their journey and be rivals.

She smiles at him, and he smiles back.

* * *

><p>She's ten and as close friends with him as ever.<p>

So when he barges in her room, asking if she saw the TV program, she just smiles and he drags her away to look for legendaries, rushing as usual.

Somewhere along the way, they meet Professor Rowan. To the two friends, the moments pass by in a blur, but before they know it, they have their own pokemon.

Her eyes light up as she calls out the little blue penguin for the first time, missing the slightly worried glance from his direction. He doesn't want to have his spot stolen by anyone, not even her partner pokemon- especially not her partner pokemon! But she doesn't know this, and simply continues to cuddle it.

Something makes him snap, and he challenges her to a battle-

He loses.

Of course he's upset, but shrugs it off. After her constant praises to her pokemon, though, he can't stand it and runs. He doesn't know where. Just runs.

And she just stares after him, confused.

* * *

><p>She's eleven and worried.<p>

He's acting strangely when they meet up now.

He never meets her eyes anymore, always looks away(It makes her sad, really). He jumps at the slightest touch, and seems a little flustered whenever they talk.

So she asks what's wrong, and he simply tells her that nothing is, and that hurts her more.

That oblivious girl, though, doesn't notice all his glances or the slight pink tinges that rise on his cheeks sometimes.

She's just an oblivious girl worrying unnecessarily.

* * *

><p>She's twelve and has opened her eyes(slightly).<p>

After every butterfree in her stomach, every thought always somehow turning to him, every memory with him she's burned into her mind, she's opened her eyes.

She's never seen him as a brother- she knows this now.

She doesn't ever think he could feel the same, though(how wrong she is). She just stifles her feelings with anything she can.

But every time she sees him, every time he calls, every time they battle- those feelings threaten to swallow her.

But she doesn't give in.

She never gives in.

She knows that she will never say it.

* * *

><p>She's thirteen and the champion.<p>

Crowds are cheering her on, fans asking her thousands of questions wherever she goes. There's a sea of faces looking for her, but she's only looking for one.

Then she spots him, and flashes him a real smile, brimming with happiness. _She is the Champion_(it wasn't always her dream, but it had always been his).

He smiles back, and that makes her feel better than any title could(the title that was almost all he'd ever wanted).

She's swept away by the crowds, and by the time she can try to find him again, he's already gone.

He gave his dream to her and simply walked away.

* * *

><p>She's fourteen and oh so busy!<p>

Challengers coming to see her, day and night, media never satisfied enough to leave her alone, fans adoring her.

She doesn't even think of the fact that she's stopped calling him, that the last time she saw him was his birthday a while ago.

She doesn't think of the lonely boy who watches for a call in vain, even after a year.

It's the last straw, and all his anger and hurt wells up and he simply storms away.

He's done waiting now; he's going to become a million times better, and make her notice him-

And then he winces, because he's never had to try so hard before.

* * *

><p>She's fifteen and just met him again.<p>

His golden brown(and slightly orange) eyes stare at her with determination, and no words need to be said as he calls out his Staraptor.

...Needless to say, she swept through his team with ease, and then left for whatever champions do.

She left him standing there, eyes burning with determination and he vows he'll make her see him next time.

He knows, he _knows_ that next time will work, because next time he will make sure every feeling makes itself known to her.

Every last one.

* * *

><p>She's sixteen and nervous.<p>

Her mother had called her down to Twinleaf for a little get together- she and her mother, and he and his.

When she heard his name again, every feeling washed over her as strong(if not stronger) as before.

Guilt- she felt that too.

Not once had she called him in years, and the last time she saw him was brief- what kind of best friend was she?

She stalled time until she could no longer, and arrived at her home with apprehension, only to find her mother the only one there.

The two shared a brief reunion before she retreated to her room, and not long after, their doorbell had rung. Her mother's happy, high pitched welcomes could be heard upstairs, and so could the heavy footsteps that followed.

Her door had swung open and hit the wall, and what she saw she was unprepared for.

He stood before her, golden brown eyes full of animosity and pain. Like always, all his emotions that spilled out of those piercing eyes were raw. Those feelings consumed her, and she winced- the worst had come, she concluded.

In a soft voice, he accused her of having ignored him, forgotten him, having left him behind. He told her that his own dream had been taken by her, and put so far out of his reach that that was all it'd ever be. He'd stumbled somewhere along the way, he said, and she had just skipped merrily away. He told her of every day he'd spent just staring at the phone, hoping she would remember(but she never did). He told her every lonely feeling he'd felt, and then stepped closer, leaning towards her.

She felt so confused as she stared up into his eyes, and before she could apologize, he surprised her yet again(like he always did), telling her there was one last most important thing.

His hands were on her face, and he was looking at her with the most serious face she'd ever seen. Butterfree were raging in her stomach, and she blinked. The distance was small, and he said something that made her heart jump as he closed the distance...

"I love you."

* * *

><p>This didn't really come out the way I wanted it to. Oh well. Reviews would be loved, but you don't have to.<p>

Also, my grammar isn't the best and I apologize.


End file.
